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So you're right and the students are wrong? Maybe instead of looking for ways to convince them of your rightness in the matter you should look at the issue from their perspective. Perhaps they actually live or have lived in communities where racism, between whatever groups, actually occurs. It is not pleasant whatever your ethnicity. It is no argument telling a powerless white person, who does not live in comfortable suburbia, that they should accept their lot for "balance". On Fri, 26 Jan 2001 17:34:37 +0000 Nick Givens <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Hi, > I gave a lecture on 'tackling racism' to a couple of hundred PGCE students > today. > > Several were keen to emphasize that Black and minority ethnic people can > display racism towards white people; they did not accept that this does not > simply balance out white racism. > > I would welcome suggestions on how to address this. I certainly don't want > to defend harassment, aggression or bulying whoever the source; neither do > I want to deny the fear or pain experienced by white surviors of violence > committed by Black people. > > nevertheless, it seems to me that > 'white racism' = prejudice + power, while > 'black racism' = prejudice > > and the Power makes a lot of difference! > > I fear that this was lost on a portion of my audience, who were a bit keen > to say that racism is an entirely two way issue. > > Any ideas? > > Nick. > > Lecturer in Education, > School of Education, > University of Exeter, > Heavitree Road, > Exeter, > EX1 2LU, > England. > tel (44) 1392 264869 > fax (44) 1392 264960 Bryan Jones Equal Opportunities Adviser London Guildhall University Tel: 020 7320 1137